Soap-dispensing machine.



' G. F. SHAVER.

SOAP DISPENSING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION HLBDMAR. 15. 190s. RENBWED Nov.29, 1910.

Patented Feb-7, 1911.

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GEORGE F. SHAVER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'IO HYGIENIG SOAP GRANULATOR COMPANY', .A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOAP-DISPENSING- MACHINE.

Application filed. March 15, 1906, Serial No. 306,243.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.. 7, ili.

Renewed November 29, 1910. Serial No. 594,770.

nomically used and is intended to do away with the use of a cake of soap in the ordinary manner in the hand.

Before entering into a description of the specific features of my invention and as conducing to a clearer understanding of some of the objects thereof, it may here be noted that the indiscriminate use of cakes of toilet soap is for hygienic reasons cX- tremely undesirable, and especially is this true in places partaking of a public charace' ter, as diseases of a serious nature often result by reason of the contamination of soap used therein. For the above and other reasons it is desirable that the cake of soap used in such places be kept from contact with the hands of the users and one of the remedial methods proposed is to provide a machine capable of dispensing the soap from a bar or cake in a comminuted state whereby the soap is not only maintained free from contagion but is reduced to such a form as to lather more freely and readily. To the end, therefore, of eliminating the objection specified and securing the above and other advantages, I have provided a simple and efficient machine which is adapted to supply soap in the form of thin narrow strips or shavings from a cake of soap placed in the machine. Y

llt has been found by many experiments with soap in various forms that when the soap is cut or shaved into thin narrow strips or shavings the saine dissolve or are reduced to lather very readily and a much smaller quantity is necessary than in any other form, as the entire amount shaved off is dissolved and used, resulting` in a greater economy in the use of the soap. ln order to produce such shavings from the soap cake continuously as the co-mmuniting device or cutter is operated it is necessary that the soap cake be fed positively and constant-ly toward the cutter' in order to prevent the same merely scraping the surface of the soap cake at times.

The object in this invention is to provide a device which may be embodied in an etlicient machine of simple and durable construction which may be easily operated to supply soap shavings such ,as described.

The various features of the device will be more fully described in connection with the drawings accompanying this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation in section of a soap shaving device showing the interior construction of the same. Fig. 2 is al sectional plan view of the feeding device taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the comminuting device or cutter. Fig. Il is a sectional plan view taken on line 4 4- of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the cutter support or bearing.

In the soap comminuting device which l have chosen to illustrate my invention l have shown a cylindrical container 1 provided with a suitable cover 2. This cover' may be so constructed as to lit tightly in place and may also be provided with a suitable lock if desired. A handle and lever 3 is attached to an operating spindle t. This operating spindle is connected with the cutter 5, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The cutter is supported in the container by means of a ring shaped member attached to the container and having inwardly extending projections providing a support or bearing upon which the cutter 5 is rotated. The object of providing a number of separate projections instead of a continuous bearing surface is to allow the soap shaved off to pass through the openings at the outer edge of the cutter between the projections forming the support. A. portion of these particles of soap will be carried over the upper surface of these projections by the movement of the cutter and so lubricate the bearing surface automatically as the cutter1 is rotated. A continuous bearing surface would entirely close the openings in this portion of the cut-ter and prevent the soap from passing through the same, preventing the operation of the cutting edges located over this bearing surface. Two objects are thus The cutter 5, shown in plan view, Fig. 3,

f is preferably formed from a circular disk of metal by punching a series of narrow slots in the disk. A cutting edge is formed on one side of each of these slots and the same is then curved slightly above the surface of the disk. These cutting edges may be located in any desired arrangement, the object being to have adjacent cutting edges overlap so that the entire surface of the cake of soap is shaved or cut uniformly as the cutter is rotated. One arrangement of these cutting edges which has been found to give good results is shown in Fig. 3. In this arrangement the slots are in the form of a spiral extending from the central portion of the disk to the circumference 4and each of the cutting edges extends radially from the center of the disk.

In order to insure a posit-ive feeding of the soap to the comminuting device or cutter 5 have provided a mechanism within the container 1 operated from the spindle L which operates the cutter 5, and which consequently does not require attention on the part of the operator but operates automatically and positively to feed the soap to the comminuting device or cutter.

A cylindrical shaft 8, which I have desi gnated as a feeding spindle, fits over the operating shaft 4;. This feeding shaft is provided at its upper end with a flanged portion 9 having one or more projections or teethV 10. These projections are adapted to be engaged successively by one or more pins, such as 11 and 11', or other suitable co operating portions of the eccentric strap 12. An eccentric 13 is secured to and operated by the spindle 4l. A flat spring, such as 14, may be so positioned as to press against the flanged portion of the feeding shaft and act as a brake to prevent rotation ofthe same except when engaged by the eccentric strap.

The eccentric strap 12 is provided with an arm extending from one side thereof having a slot 15 which engages a fixed guide .K or pin 16. This causes a reciprocating motion of this portion of the eccentric strap when the eccentric 13 is rotated While the pins 11 travel in elliptical paths. These pins 11 and 11 are so positioned on the eccentric strap that they will engage successively the toothed projections during a portion of their travel and so impart an' intermittent rotary movement to the feeding shaft 8. The number and location of these determined by the amount of rotary move- .ment required for the feeding shaft to each rotation of the operating spindle and a number of these pins may be placed in the eccentric strap in such positions that as one pin is passing out of engagement with a tooth a second pin is passing into engagement and thus a continuous rotation of the feeding shaft may be provided if desired.

In feeding ordinary soap against the cut ter one pin, as shown in full lines at 11 in Fig. 2 which will advance the feeding shaft one tooth for each revolution of the driving spindle, will be suflicient but if it is desired to produce a faster feed a second pin may be placed on the opposite side of the cccentric strap, as shown in the dotted outline at 11. The eccentric in the drawings in Fig. 2 is shown in the extreme position with the pin on one side in engagement and the pin on the opposite side out of engagement with their respective teeth.

Suitable collars, such as 17 and 1S, may be provided to hold the eccentric strap in place. These collars lit loosely on the ec` centric 13 and the operating spindle 4, as shown in Fig. l.

The flanged portion 9 of the feeding` shaft S furnishes a support for the eccentric and strap and is itself supported by means of a suitable support, such as 1S), which is preferably secured to the cover of the container. The object of supporting the feeding device and operating shaft from the cover is to provide for the removal of the same with the cover to allo7 the soap to be placed into the container. The lower end of the operating spindle t is squared and enters a square hole in the cutter 5, thus providing a simple and separable connection.

The feeding shaft 8 is threaded and upon this threaded portion rides a follower 20 which may have a hub 21 providing' an increased bearing surface in which the threaded portion of the feeding shaft 8 operates. The follower 20 is provided with a projection 22 at one side thereof which engages a projecting web or iin 23 attached to the container 1. This prevents the follower from rotating with the feeding shaft and this web also engages the cake of soap holding the same in operative position and preventing` it from rotating with the cutter. The lower portion of the feeding shaft. may be reduced in diameter suiiiciently to remove the threads and so prevent the same from operating the follower when it reaches kthis point, which might cause damage to the machine if allowed to feed too far. Nhen this point is reached the cover is removed and the follower run back to its up` per position on the feeding shaft and a new cake of soap placed into the machine. The cake of soap is preferably cylindrical in form havinga central opening therein providing for the feeding shaft S and a recess or slot at one side adapted to engage the retaining .fin 23.

is the feeding shaft S is slowly turned by the operation of the eccentric as above eX- plained the follower 20 will be moved downward and force the cake of soap, shown at 24 in dotted outline, against the cutter 5, thus providing a positive feeding device which supplies the soap in a constant amount to the cutter, resulting in a uniform product of soap shavings being delivered as themachine is operated.

ln order to prevent the accumulation of soap shavings in the lower portion of the container below the cutter l have provided a scraper 25 which may be attached to the cutter 5 and rotates with the same around the inner surface of the lower portion of the container removing the soap shavings which may collect therein. Various forms of scraping devices may be used for this purpose but the one herein shown has been found to provide a very simpl-e and efficient means for accomplishing the desired results.

ris many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention designed without departing from the scope thereof, l int-end that all matt-er contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative merely of an operative embodiment of myinvention and not in a limiting sense.

lllhat l claim is:

1. ln a soap dispensing machine, in combination, a container provided in its lower portion with an annular serrated shelf, a cutting disk rotatively mounted therein above said shelf, said disk being adapted to support a cake of soap, an operating spindie extending through said cake and having a positive engagement with said disk, a screw threaded feed member, a follower threaded thereon and adapted to hold said cake in engagement with said cutting disk, and means interposed between said screw threaded feed member and said spindle adapted to effect a partial rotation of the former during a full rotative movement of the latter whereby the follower will be given a step by step movement and the cake of soap similarly moved toward said cutting disk.

2. In a soap dispensing machine, in combination, a container adapted to receive a cake of soap, a cutting disk supported for rotation in the lower portion of said container and adapted in turn to support said cake of soap, a spindle extending longitudinally of said container through said cake of soap and having operative engagement with said cutting disk and adapted to rotate the same, a follower for forcing said cake of soap into enga gement with said cutting disk,

a feed member having threaded engagement with said follower, and means interposed between said feed member and said spindle for imparting a partial rotation to said feed member during each complete rotation of said spindle.

3. 1n a soap dispensing machine, in combination, a container for a cake of soap, said container having in its lower' portion a plu rality of inwardly extending projections, a cutting disk rotatively mounted upon said projections, a spindle extending longitudinally of said container' through an opening provided in said cake of soap and having an operative engagement with said cutting disk, a threaded feed shaft carrying said follower, and means interposed between said spindle and said feed shaft for giving the latter a partial revolution for every complete revolution of the form-er.

L In a mechanism of the class described, in combination, a container adapted to receive a cake of soap, a comminuting device ro-tatively mounted within said container and adapted to sever material from the cake of soap, a spindle having an operative engagement with said comminuting device adapted to rotate the same, a feed shaft, a follower threaded upon said shaft, resting against said cake o-f soap and adapted when moved to feed tie same against said comminuting device, `an eccentric fixed upon said spindle, and means actuated by said eccentric during the rotation of said spindle and adapted te produce a step by step rotation of said feed shaft whereby the follower is moved and the cake of soap fed against the comminuting device.

ln mechanism of the class described, in combination, a container adapted to receive a cake of soap, a comminuting device rotatably mounted within said container adaptedto sever material from the cake of soap therein, a spindle having an operative engagement with said comminuting device adapted to rotate the same, a hollow feeding shaft positioned about said spindle, a follower threaded upon said shaft adapted when moved to feed the c; ke of soap against the comminuting device, said follower being held against rotation, an eccentric fixed upon said spindle, and means actuated by said eccentric during the rotation of said spindle adapted to produce a step-by-step rotation of said feeding shaft whereby said follower is moved and the cake of soap fed against the comminuting device.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a container adapted to receive a cake of soap, a comminuting device rotatably mounted within said container adapted when rotated to sever material from a cake of soap, a spindle operatively connected with said connninuting device and having means whereby the same may be rotated, a hollow feeding shaft encircling said spindle, a follower, said feeding shaft being externally threaded to receive said follower, means for holding said followeragainst rotation, a member having a plurality of teeth carried by said feeding shaft,` and means actuated during a portion -of each rotation of Vsaid spindle adapted to be carried into engagement with one of said teeth thereby to rotate'said feeding shaft ceive saidv follower, means for holding said follower against rotation, a member having a plurality of teeth carried by said feeding shaft, an eccentric mounted upon said spindle, and a plate having one or more projections adapted when oscillated by said eccentricto engage a projection thereof with one of said teeth and rotate said feeding shaft thereby causing a movement of said follower'.

8. In a soap dispensing machine, in combination, a receptacle for a cake of soap, a flat cutting disk positioned in said container,` said cutting disk being provided with cutting edges and openings through which the particles of soap fall as cut from the cake, a ring-shaped support provided with inwardly extending projections vupon which said cutting disk is rotated, said projections extending under a portion of the cutting edges and openings of said cutting disk upon said support.

9. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a. container of a comminuting device rotatably mounted therein and having a plurality of radially-disposed cutting edges each of which is adapted to sever particles from a cake of soap, a spindle operatively connected with said comminuting device adapted to rotate the same, a feeding shaft encircling said spindle, a follower threaded upon the exterior of said feeeding shaft adapted when moved to feed the cake of soap to said comminuting device, a toothed wheel secured to said feeding shaft, an oscillatory plate having one or more projections adapted to engage the teeth of said wheel and cause thereby a rotation of said feeding shaft, and an eccentric fixed upon said spindle adapted to oscillate said plate whereby said feeding shaft is rotated and the follower moved thereby.

l0. In a soap dispensing machine, in combination, a container adapted to receive a cake of soap, a comminuting device adapted to engage said cake of soap, an operating spindle extending longitudinally of said container through said cake of soap and adapted to cause a relative rotation between said cake of soap and said comminuting device, a follower for forcing said cake of soap into engagement with said comminuting device, a feed member having threaded engagement with said follower, and means interposed between said feed member and said spindle for imparting a partial rotation to said feed member during each complete rotation of said spindle.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 14th day of March A. D. 1906.

GEORGE F. SHAVER.

lVitnesses I Lewis J. DooLrr'rLE H. la7. FoRsY'rH. 

